The TreeSheets Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about TreeSheets in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
TreeSheets
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source hierarchical spreadsheet for free-form notes and data
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from TreeSheets’s own pages.
Made by Wouter van Oortmerssen · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from TreeSheets’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on TreeSheets’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
TreeSheets is a free, open-source data organizer that its author calls a hierarchical spreadsheet. Information goes into grids of cells, and any cell can contain another grid, so a document nests like an outline while laying out in two dimensions. It is pitched for to-do lists, planning, brainstorming and other loosely structured data, and runs on Windows, macOS and Linux.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about TreeSheets, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating on record, and the way it works takes getting used to: text shrinks with depth and you zoom about to read it.
- 1
Best for plans and brainstorms that outgrow a flat outline
If you want a writing editor, look elsewhere.
- 2
It is free
TreeSheets has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the zlib license. Every build is a free download from the project's GitHub releases, and there is no paid edition.
- 3
It runs on 3 platforms
Windows, macOS and Linux.
- 4
Grids inside grids
Any cell can hold its own sub-grid, so data nests to any depth while keeping a spreadsheet-like layout of rows and columns.
- 5
Shrinking and zooming
Text size is relative to nesting depth, cells can shrink to a pixel per character, and the mouse wheel zooms into a nested grid to make it readable.
- 6
Automatic layout
Cells resize to fit their content after every edit, and a column-width setting controls how the text in a cell wraps.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 72 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
TreeSheets is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
TreeSheets at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- Made by
- Wouter van Oortmerssen
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for plans and brainstorms that outgrow a flat outline
TreeSheets is a free, open-source desktop app where any spreadsheet cell can hold another grid, so notes nest in two directions instead of one. It's Windows, Mac and Linux only with no phone, web, sync or API, each cell is a single line of text, documents are .cts files you export to use elsewhere, and the website's tutorial is marked out of date. If you want a writing editor, look elsewhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the zlib licence, in a category where the middle plan asks $6 a month. Every build is a free download from the project's GitHub releases and there's no paid edition. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The full app is free on Windows, macOS and Linux, with nothing kept back and no account to make. |
| Features | C | It does one trick and all of it: cells holding sub-grids to any depth, a wheel that zooms into them, auto-resizing, images in cells, indented text that pastes back as a tree. For notes the project's own page names the holes. A cell is one line, not a rich text editor, and .cts files need an export to be read elsewhere. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and the way it works takes getting used to: text shrinks with depth and you zoom about to read it. The written tutorial on the website is marked out of date, and the current one is a document that opens inside the app. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Computers only: Windows, macOS and Linux, with Debian packages, AppImages and a Flatpak. No mobile version, no web version, no sync and no API on record. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who TreeSheets is for
- Fits if your brainstorms and plans have outgrown a flat outline
- Works for desktop users who want structure in two dimensions, not just indentation
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you need your notes on a phone, as there's no mobile or web version
- Not for you if you write long formatted text, because a cell is a single line, not a full text editor
- Watch out: documents are saved as .cts files, so other software needs an export to XML, HTML or text
- Tight if you learn from written guides, since the website tutorial is marked out of date and the current one opens inside the app
- Too light for using notes across devices, as there's no sync and no API on record
Good to know
Good for
- Brainstorming and planning that outgrows a flat outline
- People who want structure in two dimensions, not just indentation
- Desktop users who want a small, fast organizer on any major OS
Worth knowing
- Desktop only: builds are offered for Windows, macOS and Linux, and the project lists no mobile or web version.
- Each cell is edited as a single line of text with optional word wrap, so it does not work like a rich text editor.
- The written tutorial on the website is marked as out of date; the current one is a document that opens inside the app.
- Documents are saved as .cts files, so using the data in other software means exporting to XML, HTML or text.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
TreeSheets is free to use.
Every build is a free download from the project's GitHub releases and there's no paid edition.
TreeSheets
$0
The full app for Windows, macOS and Linux, with Debian packages, AppImages and a Flatpak for Linux.
The free plan
Free and open source under the zlib license. Every build is a free download from the project's GitHub releases, and there is no paid edition.
Read from strlen.com on Oct 9, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, Windows and Linux
Open-source hierarchical spreadsheet for free-form notes and data. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, local-first, notes.
For notes the project's own page names the holes.
- Grids inside grids
- Any cell can hold its own sub-grid, so data nests to any depth while keeping a spreadsheet-like layout of rows and columns.
- Shrinking and zooming
- Text size is relative to nesting depth, cells can shrink to a pixel per character, and the mouse wheel zooms into a nested grid to make it readable.
- Automatic layout
- Cells resize to fit their content after every edit, and a column-width setting controls how the text in a cell wraps.
- Images in cells
- An image can be added to any cell and is stored as part of the document file, then copied to other cells in the sheet.
- Import, export and indented text
- Documents export to XML, HTML or text and import from XML. Pasting text indented by hierarchy level rebuilds that structure as a tree.
- Small footprint
- The author reports about 5 MB of memory on Windows 7 with several documents loaded, so it can stay in the system tray.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
What it works with
- Claude Code
TreeSheets is made by Wouter van Oortmerssen.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
72/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
TreeSheets's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 100 of 147) and worst on features (C, above 2).
TreeSheets has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. TreeSheets’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 62 of 147
- AFree plan and trialAbove 100 of 147
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 147
- CEase of useAbove 5 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. TreeSheets is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
TreeSheets is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Notes: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
What this rests on. TreeSheets’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Workflowy, Dynalist, OmniOutliner, CherryTree and NoteCase Pro
The 5 tools TreeSheets is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Workflowy
Free plan · from $6.99/mo
Outliner that keeps notes, to-dos and plans in one nested list.
- Only Workflowy lists a web app.
- Only Workflowy lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Workflowy lists a browser extension.
- 3.0GPA
Dynalist
Free plan · from $7.99/mo
Outlining app for nested lists, notes and tasks.
- Only Dynalist lists a web app.
- Only Dynalist lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only Dynalist lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
OmniOutliner
Free trial · from $24.99 one-time
Outliner for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro.
- TreeSheets has a free plan. OmniOutliner does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only TreeSheets lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only OmniOutliner lists an iOS app.
- 2.8GPA
CherryTree
Free
Hierarchical desktop notes with rich text and code highlighting.
- 2.8GPA
NoteCase Pro
Free plan · from $5 one-time
Cross-platform outliner and note manager with Lua scripting.
- Only NoteCase Pro lists an Android app.
- TreeSheets is open source, according to its own site.
- NoteCase Pro can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is TreeSheets free?
Yes. TreeSheets is free to use.
How much does TreeSheets cost?
TreeSheets lists one plan. TreeSheets: $0.
What platforms does TreeSheets work on?
TreeSheets is available on Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does TreeSheets have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. TreeSheets is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Does TreeSheets have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. TreeSheets is listed for Windows, macOS and Linux.
Is TreeSheets open source?
Yes. TreeSheets is open source, according to its own site.
What does TreeSheets integrate with?
TreeSheets's listing names Claude Code. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes TreeSheets?
TreeSheets is made by Wouter van Oortmerssen.
What are the alternatives to TreeSheets?
The closest alternatives to TreeSheets in our directory are Workflowy, Dynalist, OmniOutliner, CherryTree and NoteCase Pro.
How does TreeSheets compare with other note-taking apps?
TreeSheets's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 72 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 34.
Is TreeSheets good value for money?
ToolGPA grades TreeSheets A for value for money. TreeSheets has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of TreeSheets?
TreeSheets is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from TreeSheets’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from TreeSheets' own pages on 9 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-05.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Wouter van Oortmerssen. Prices change, so check strlen.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- TreeSheets, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/treesheets
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "TreeSheets: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/treesheets
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/treesheets/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after TreeSheets, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what TreeSheets’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. TreeSheets is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Wouter van Oortmerssen. Prices and plans change: check strlen.com before you buy.